Nittany Lions Set to Hit the Hardwood

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -
The offseason is over for Penn State hoops fans.

The Nittany Lions will take the floor for the first time in exhibition action
on Saturday at 4 p.m. in the Bryce Jordan Center against Philadelphia
University. (The No. 8 Lady Lions will
precede the men's game with their exhibition debut against Cal (Pa.) at 2 p.m.) The regular season opens one week from today
against regional foe St. Francis.

To get ready for the exhibition game, let's examine some of the preseason
storylines. Take a look through the
Starting Five.

Speed in the BackcourtHead coach Patrick Chambers has been looking forward to this day since
Southern Miss transfer D.J. Newbill first stepped onto the practice court last
year. Newbill will join All-Big Ten
point guard Tim Frazier in what has the potential to be one of the best
backcourts in college basketball this winter.
Frazier's standout junior season speaks for itself. He led the nation in producing 58 percent of
the team's offense last season. He was
the only Division I player to average at least 17 points and six assists. He led the Big Ten in assists (6.2) and
finished second in scoring (18.8). This
year, Newbill adds a new dimension to the backcourt and Frazier's game. The physical guard will draw attention from
defenses, creating more opportunities for Frazier to operate in space. Junior guard Jermaine Marshall, who enters
2012-13 after a superb offseason, will also reap the benefits of another scorer
in the lineup. Marshall is a different
player for the Nittany Lions this fall with greater consistency shooting on the
perimeter and defensive effort. The
backcourt trio of Frazier, Marshall and Newbill playing together will be
exciting for Nittany Lion fans to watch.
Additionally, Frazier worked tirelessly on his jump shot in the
offseason. The result? He is shooting
from the perimeter at a higher clip than ever before. The same can be said for Marshall.

Shooting the ThreePenn State shot 31
percent from beyond the three-point line last season. Individually, Marshall led the team with 43
made 3-pointers (33 percent). Early
indications from preseason practice are that those figures are on track to
change in 2012-13. Led by a standout
offseason from Marshall, the Lions have several will have several weapons from
the perimeter. Marshall, Tim Frazier,
Nick Colella and Ross Travis are shooting the ball with more consistency and at
a higher percentage than last season.
D.J. Newbill will also play a role in the outside shooting for the
Nittany Lions.

Same Face, New GameRoss Travis looks and feels like a new basketball player heading into his
sophomore season for the Blue and White.
Visibly more toned, Travis added 18 pounds of muscle in the past year
with Brad Pantall and the Nittany Lion strength staff. Travis increased his max on the bench press
from 245 to 310, went from 10 reps at 185 pounds to 22, added 2.5 inches to his
vertical and now touches 16 inches above the rim, which is the highest on the team. The new-look Travis also has a new shot. The Minnesota native added more arc to his
jump shot and is shooting better than he ever has from the outside. Travis is still among the "Attitude Club"
leaders with relentless hustle, but his added strength creates a new dimension
for his game in 2012-13.

Working the PostLike Ross Travis, Penn State's returning post players enter the season in
different physical condition than they were in when the Lions wrapped up last
season in March. Redshirt sophomore Jon
Graham lost 20 pounds to play with more speed and quickness. Redshirt senior Sasa Borovnjak, now fully
recovered from a knee injury suffered in 2010-11, has a new body. Borovnjak is much quicker off the floor and
moving with a great deal of confidence.
Both post players will be leaned on for rebounding and sound post
defense. Last season, the duo combined
for 6.8 rebounds per game. Look for that
figure to increase in 2012-13.

Honoring Herb Magee
Commonly referred to as the "Shot Doctor", Hall of Fame head coach and
Philadelphia University mentor (941-375) Herb Magee played a big role in
Patrick Chambers' basketball career. Chambers played under Magee, helping the
legendary coach set the NCAA's all-time victories mark. With the Lions meeting Chambers' alma mater
in Saturday's exhibition clash, the Nittany Lion hoops staff will pay tribute
to Magee by all wearing sweatpants. The
Rams suffered a 77-69 setback to James Madison in exhibition action on Oct. 28.